The 5 Baseline Requirements of Great Office Lighting

A well-lit office space can make a world of difference when it comes to maintaining your concentration and productivity. Unfortunately, lighting is something many companies take for granted, not realizing the role it plays in creating a comfortable productive work environment.

Whether you have a home office or a modest cubbyhole on the 10th floor of your building, here are a few simple things you can do to have perfect office lighting.

Replace Flickering and Buzzing Lights

Bulbs that flicker and make sounds are distracting and can cause eyestrain. Aging fluorescent light bulbs are particularly known to do this.Over time, workers lose their focus when working under these lights, which affects their productivity and quality of work. Worse, prolonged exposure to these lights can trigger migraines and vision problems.

You can replace your aging fluorescent lighting with modern, energy-efficient LED lighting, which neither flickers nor produces an annoying humming sound.

Let More Natural Light In

Let as much natural light into your office as possible. You can move your desk close to the window, or replace your blinds or keep them open throughout the day. Natural sunlight—especially morning light—is a known mood-booster, helping you get in the right frame of mind to crush another work day. So, open a window, pull up the blinds, and embrace the light.

Keep Sleepiness at Bay with the Right Color of Light

When it comes to lighting for maximum productivity, the goal isn’t just to have bright light. You also want the right lighting quality. For example, we are naturally attuned to picking up the bluish white light of sunlight, which keeps us feeling energized and awake. When this light is no longer present (i.e. night), our body begins to feel tired.

Ensuring that you have the right color of light in the office will help maintain your energy throughout the day. This is especially important if you rely primarily on artificial lighting. When choosing your lighting, be sure to mimic the color temperature of natural sunlight, which should be around 5600 Kelvin—you can get light bulbs with a color temperature of 5000k to 6000k to get the same effect.

Get Dimmable LED Lights

Having dimmable features can help you match your desired lighting level with the task at hand. For example, dim lighting can help with creativity because it’s relaxing—great for brainstorming sessions. Dimmable lights are also great for resting areas or lounges where employees can rest and take naps, which also helps with productivity.

The dimming capability of LEDs makes them perfect for the job. Many of these lights can be dimmed right out of the box, or are compatible with third-party dimming controllers.

Go for Energy Savings

Maintaining an office can be expensive. To help reduce your electricity bills, you can choose a lighting solution that not only meets all your lighting needs but is also energy-efficient and long-lasting. LED lighting is by far the most efficient out there, offering up to 90 percent energy savings compared to traditional incandescent lighting. LEDs are also remarkably long-lived, with most devices rated to last over 15,000 hours, translating to lower replacement costs.

Investing in the right lighting for your office is a small but effective step to make your workspace more comfortable and conducive to productivity. So, remember these steps when retrofitting your [city] office with LED lighting.